The Journey
by Masami Aomame
Summary: It's been such a wonderful journey! I hope we can go on like this for many more years to come. (Modern AU)


**_Please enjoy this fic the way you feel comfortable. I write out of my love for SasuSaku and I deliberately post them on a free platform. You don't OWE me any follows/favourites/reviews. I'm very thankful you even gave my fic a chance, I hope you enjoy it._**

* * *

Itachi pushes the door open.

Inside the immaculate hospital room, it's Sakura his eyes first fall upon. Half lying on the bed, her long pink hair tied into a loose ponytail, back supported by a huge pillow. Standing beside is his little brother, leaning towards her. Most likely saying something.

Afraid of interrupting an intimate moment, Itachi hesitates for a while, considering leaving for the time being when suddenly, Sakura's eye catches sight of him.

"Nii San!" she says with a hint of excitement in her tired voice.

Sasuke turns around.

"Nii San."

Itachi smiles softly as he takes a step towards the couple, now confident in the knowledge that if the scenario playing in front of him was indeed an intimate one, then he has already ruined it.

As he approaches the bed, he finally sees her. Wrapped in a tidy white fluffy baby swaddle.

"Do you want to hold her?" Sakura asks cheerfully. She looks extremely exhausted but apparently the newfound joy of motherhood has got her too excited to ponder on her tiredness.

"Of course I do."

"Did you put on the hand sanitiser?" Sasuke interrogates him like the protective new father that he is.

"In case you've forgotten, Sasuke," Itachi raises an eyebrow, "I have a kid of my own." He gives him his _wise_ _elder_ _brother_ look.

Sasuke frowns. but doesn't say anything else as Itachi cautiously picks the baby girl up from Sakura's arms.

She's tiny. With chubby cheeks and a button nose. Her eyes are squeezed shut to bar away the brightness of the world that she hasn't gotten used to yet. But Itachi can already guess what they might look like since he can see the downy black hair on her head.

_So, she's inherited Sasuke's looks, huh?_

"Where's Nee San?" Sakura asks, glancing at the door.

"She stopped to greet someone in the hallway. Old friend I think. She'll be here in a moment," Itachi says without taking his eyes off his newborn niece.

Looking at her, he remembers another baby. With similar plump cheeks and black hair. His eyes were shut tight and tiny hands fisted as he slept peacefully in his mother's arms when his father took him to the hospital that morning all those years ago.

_That Sasuke, he's a father now! I can't believe that was twenty eight years ago. Twenty eight years! Man, I'm getting old!_

There's a sound and the door opens.

"Nee San!" Sakura exclaims.

"Oh, Sakura, I'm sorry," Izumi speaks as she walks fast towards the bed, "I saw an old friend from school. I-"

Her sentence stops halfway as her eyes fall upon the baby in her husband's arms.

"Oh my! She looks so cute!" she proceeds to take her from Itachi. Sasuke decides that Izumi is reliable enough. So he doesn't bother asking her about the hand sanitiser.

"I'm so glad you guys had a girl. I've always wanted one of my own."

"Maybe this time it'll be a girl," Itachi says in a flat tone.

Sasuke and Sakura stare at his face, then at Izumi's. Completely taken aback.

"_This time?"_ Sasuke furrows his brows.

"Yeah. She's expecting," Itachi tries to keep his voice nonchalant, but fails to conceal the sheer happiness.

"Eh! What? You didn't tell me, Nee San," Sakura frowns as she complains to Izumi.

"I just took the test today. We're going to visit the doctor tomorrow," Izumi smiles contentedly while rocking the baby girl gently in her arms. "I was going to tell you after finding out how far along I am."

"That's such a great news! Congratulations, both of you," Sakura suddenly bursts into tears.

"Here," Sasuke gives her a tissue from the table.

"Thank you," she speaks in a shaky voice while wiping the tears away.

"Hormones, huh?, It's more of a statement than a question. Already a father, Itachi is pretty knowledgeable about things related to pregnancy and childbirth.

"Hn," Sasuke gives a slight nod, his eyes not leaving Sakura.

There's noise of the door opening once again.

"Oh, thank god we finally made it," Mikoto exhales loudly, "Seriously, the traffic was so bad today."

Fugaku doesn't speak, just silently follows a step behind his wife.

"How are you feeling?" Mikoto asks Sakura, "I was really nervous when Sasuke suddenly called and said you went into labour already."

"I'm fine, Okaa San. I'm glad I didn't have to be in labour for hours like Nee San," Sakura gives a tired smile.

"Oh, don't even remind me of that" Mikoto turns to Izumi.

"Well, in the end when I finally got to hold him in my arms, I knew everything was worth it. So, I guess I shouldn't complain," Izumi gives a bright smile. "Do you want to hold her, Okaa San?"

"Of course I want to hold her," Mikoto sounds too enthusiastic, "She's my first granddaughter after all."

As Itachi sees Mikoto carefully take the baby girl from his wife, he reminisces.

* * *

The two brothers were waiting for the train, neatly dressed in their school uniforms. Itachi noticed the two kids arriving at the station. They went to the same school.

The older girl was in the same year as him, but in a different class. She had long brown hair and big matching brown eyes. Itachi didn't know her personally, but he knew her name, Izumi. She was one of the famous members of the karate club. And the younger one-

"Isn't she in your class, Sasuke?" Itachi asked his brother, indicating towards the girl with pink hair and bright green eyes.

"Huh?" the six year old boy took a quick look at said girl, "Oh, her. Yes, she is. But I don't talk to her."

"Huh? Why?"

"I don't talk to girls," his younger brother declared smugly.

Itachi had no idea how to handle that information.

The girls came stood beside them. Izumi bowed slightly with a smile on her face. Itachi returned the courtesy. He looked at the two classmates. The younger girl was watching his little brother who looked at her once before turning his gaze away.

.

.

.

Itachi was sixteen. It was shortly before summer vacation. As the two senior students stood in front of him, demanding that he hands his wallet over, suddenly someone came out of nowhere like a gush of wind and stood in front of him.

"Leave him alone," the girl spoke and all Itachi could see was her long silky brown hair, the wind blowing through it gently and making the soft tresses brush against his face.

Izumi's reputation wasn't unknown to the bullies. So, it didn't take them long to leave.

"Next time I see you two bullying people, I won't let you off so easily," Izumi shouted at their retreating backs. Then she turned around, "Are you okay? They didn't hurt you, did they?"

"No... I'm... fine." He was flabbergasted.

"Good. You're Itachi right? The genius student," Izumi smiled with a tone of mischievousness.

Itachi wasn't ready for this type of conversation. He was left at a loss for words.

She chuckled, "I'm Izumi. Nice to meet you, Itachi."

.

.

.

Sasuke was around fifteen when he first mentioned Sakura. Itachi was at his wit's end.

"Wait a minute! Can you... repeat the names once again?"

Sasuke eyed him with a confused look on his face for a few seconds before he spoke again, "Naruto-"

"Yes, I know Naruto. And?"

"Sakura-"

"THAT," Itachi pointed a finger towards his brother, "_That_ is a girl's name."

"Sakura _is_ a girl," Sasuke was a little unsure about why his elder brother lacked common sense to such extents.

"Did you just say you have a female friend?"

"Why? Can't I?" Sasuke frowned, starting to question Itachi's intentions.

"I thought you didn't talk to girls?"

"That was a long time ago," Sasuke spoke while flipping through the pages of his history book. By then, he knew his brother was just pulling his leg.

"I see. I'm glad to know that my little brother isn't a misogynist."

Sasuke looked at him with an annoyed expression on his face.

.

.

.

Itachi got to meet her when she came to Sasuke's birthday party a few months later.

_Oh, it's __**her**__!_ _No wonder she's called Sakura._

She was a cheerful person, very different from Sasuke. To be honest, she was like the exact opposite of him. She smiled a lot, talked enthusiastically, got excited at the smallest things.

In certain ways, she reminded Itachi of Izumi. She was also like her neighbourhood sister. The two girls got along like real siblings. Itachi took a liking to her very soon.

.

.

.

It was Sasuke's second year at University. He was nineteen.

"Are you sure that cafe is good? Have you ever been there?"

"Yes, I think I told you already," Itachi didn't think much of it. He had assumed Sasuke was just going to hang out with his friends.

The next evening as he was enjoying a cup of tea while working on a presentation, Sasuke came to his room with a smug smile on his face.

"I went on a date today."

Itachi raised an eyebrow and gave his little brother a '_seriously?'_ look before turning his focus back to his laptop.

"Why are you acting like that? I really did go out on a date."

"Sure Sasuke," Itachi took a sip of his tea.

"Don't you believe me?" Sasuke sounded irritated.

"No."

"What the-"

"Who'd date a grumpy boy like you?" Itachi smirked.

For a few seconds, Sasuke stood there in disbelief.

"What if I showed you a photo?" He blurted out. It was a matter of his dignity now.

"Now, _that_ would be interesting. Why don't you do just that?" Itachi was sure Sasuke was just talking nonsense. Because he just couldn't imagine Sasuke falling in love or having a girlfriend. It sounded... impossible. Simply impossible.

"Here," Sasuke opened a photo on his phone.

Itachi spat his tea out. Sasuke glared at him.

"What's wrong with you?"

"SAKURA? You're showing me a photo of you and _Sakura_?" Itachi laughed as he looked at the selfie.

"What? What's so funny about me dating Sakura?" Sasuke was really pissed by then.

"You want me to believe that you're dating Sakura? Seriously?" Itachi put the cup on the bedside table in order to not spill the tea on his laptop.

"What? Do you think I'd rather date someone I don't know? Sakura is one of my closest friends."

"Of course she is," Itachi laughed harder, still believing it to be some kind of joke.

"What the fuck dude?" Not wasting another word, Sasuke stomped out of the room.

Itachi rolled on the bed laughing hard.

Sasuke blocked him from all his social media accounts.

.

.

.

"Isn't it just amazing?" Izumi beamed with happiness.

"What is?" Itachi frowned as he took a sip of the wine.

"Didn't Sasuke tell you?" she sounded surprised.

"Didn't tell me what?"

"About him and Sakura?"

"Him and Saku- Wait! WHAT?" he shouted so loudly that the people at the other tables stared at them. Realising that, Itachi lowered his voice, "He did. But I thought he was bluffing."

"What? Why?"

"I thought it was because how I always tease him that he'll never find a girlfriend."

Izumi stared at him for a few seconds before giggling, "You two are impossible."

He was still trying to process the information when she spoke again.

"You know, Sakura has had a crush on Sasuke for years."

"Huh?"

"Yeah. He was her first crush actually. She told me years ago, she once forgot her crayons at home. Sasuke let her use his. That was when she started to like him."

Itachi was baffled. Didn't Sasuke say he didn't speak to girls?

.

.

It all started to make sense to him. How Sasuke was always doing projects or studying together with Sakura. How he'd always ask for her opinion while choosing a gift for Mikoto. He remembered all those occasions when Sasuke would show him something on his phone and suddenly a message would pop up. And it'd always be from Sakura.

He came to realise that somewhere along the road, the two friends had taken a step beyond simple friendship. And it amazed him. As he looked at their photos together, he realised just how great a pair they made. Visually as well.

.

.

.

Itachi was twenty six that day when he slowly lifted the translucent veil from Izumi's face. He gently touched her peach coloured lips with his own. It wasn't their first kiss by any means. Their intimacy had gone way beyond just kissing. But at that moment, kissing her with the knowledge that they belong together for the rest of their lives, it gave him goosebumps. He felt his eyes tearing up a little bit. Although no-one else in the church noticed it, Izumi did. And she gave him an assuring smile. Making him feel like he was the luckiest man on earth.

.

.

.

It was three years after their marriage. Itachi was in the sitting room, feeding his one year old son his dinner. Izumi was in the kitchen. Preparing theirs when the doorbell rang.

It was Sasuke.

"Nii San, I need your help," he sounded dead serious. Itachi had never seen his little brother so nervous in all the twenty four years that he had been living on this planet.

"Did you get Sakura pregnant?" that was the first thing that came to his mind.

"No. Not that. But I'm going to propose to her."

Itachi stared at him for a while, suddenly not knowing how to respond.

"Pa-Pa-" his son was disappointed that his dinner was getting interrupted and tried to bring his father's attention back to himself by grabbing his T-shirt in his tiny fists.

"Isn't that great?" Izumi spoke as she appeared from the kitchen, "Finally you two are getting married."

"What do you need my help for?" Itachi finally managed to ask as he fed his son a spoonful of the baby pasta.

"Help me pick the ring."

.

.

.

The wedding took place the following year. As Itachi saw Sasuke and Sakura exchange their vows, as he saw the way the two looked at each other, he felt something foreign in his heart. His little brother was a married man now. He was starting his own family with the person he loved. Like Itachi himself already had. It was a strange bittersweet feeling.

There was the happiness of finding someone to spend the rest of their lives with. And there was a pain at the realisation that the two of them were no longer each other's immediate family.

"You two will always be brothers. That'll never change," Izumi whispered softly into his ears.

He stared at her in disbelief.

_How does she do that?_

_._

_._

_._

Sasuke and Sakura were visiting them. They were having tea in the living room.

"Oba Chan, can I have a bite of your cake?" his three year old son asked Sakura. He had always been very fond of his aunt.

"Of course you can," Sakura spoke lovingly and took a spoonful of her strawberry shortcake, "Do you want me to feed you?"

"Aaaa-" the little boy opened his mouth.

But as Sakura moved to feed him, he suddenly shut his mouth.

"What is that, Oba Chan? Are you hurt?" he asked with a concerned look on his face as he pointed towards a red bruise under her collarbones that had become visible as she had leaned down to feed the boy.

Sakura's face went red within moments and Sasuke choked on his tea. Itachi had no idea how to deal with the situation. He helplessly looked at his wife. Izumi was having trouble holding back laughter, but somehow she managed to give the boy a satisfactory explanation.

"It's nothing baby. Oba Chan just got bitten by a bug."

"Did you get bitten by a bug, Oba Chan?"

"Y-yes… a bug," Sakura nodded violently, "It was a bug."

Later that night, when the two girls were busy checking something on Izumi's laptop, Itachi was chatting with Sasuke.

"So, how are things at work?" then he added with a smirk, "Mr. Bug?"

Sasuke stared at him with a horrified look on his face. And he could see the tips of his brother's ears get red.

* * *

"Although she came a little earlier than expected, have you two thought of a name yet?" Mikoto asks, still holding her granddaughter in her arms.

"We have," Sasuke says while exchanging a soft look with Sakura, "Sarada."

"Sarada," Fugaku speaks for the first time, "It suits her."

"She's opening her eyes!" Mikoto almost shouts.

"There she is," she looks at the baby with eyes full of adoration. "Hello Sarada. Nice to meet you."

Sarada cries out in a shrill voice.

"Shhh… It's okay… It's okay baby, I'm your Grandma" Mikoto gently soothes her crying grandchild.

And it works. Sarada stops crying within moments.

"There you are. You're such a good girl. Want to hold her, Fugaku?" she asks her husband standing beside her.

"Hn," Fugaku reaches his arms out, "There, Sarada Chan, time to go to your Grandpa," she passes Sarada to him. "Talking about Grandpa, Kizashi San Mebuki San aren't here yet? Did they get stuck in the traff-"

There's a banging sound as the door flings open, "We're sorry! We're really very sorry we're late. The traffic today is pathetic," shouts Kizashi as he enters the room with his wife. The way he's panting, makes Itachi wonder if he just ran here. Knowing him, it's very much of a possibility.

Itachi watches the room filled with so many people. All of them celebrating the birth of his niece, happy smiles on their faces.

_It's been such a wonderful journey! I hope it keeps going on._

He feels a light squeeze on his hand. As he looks at his wife, she offers him a soft smile.

He looks at Sasuke, who is wiping Sakura's face with a tissue as she cries for the nth time this evening.

_I'm sure it will._

* * *

**Note: **Last week, my younger brother told me he was dating and I laughed it off thinking he was bluffing because of how I always say he'll never find a girlfriend. He got really mad at me and blocked me everywhere. It took me a few days to realise he was being serious. The girl is one of his closest friends. And I remembered how we'd often see her and her elder sister on our way to school. We were all from the same block and went to the same school. Back then, my brother was going through his _'I don't talk to girls'_ phase. Thinking about that, within like two seconds, I knew I had to make it about SasuSaku. I decided to incorporate ItaIzu later when I remembered how SP did them dirty and just how painful their story was. Hence, this fic.

I don't like using Japanese words or expressions while writing in English. But I wanted the elder brother elder sister feeling in this story. Sasuke and Sakura calling Itachi and Izumi by their names just wouldn't have been right. Hence, I broke the rule here.

I hope you all enjoyed this fic. I had fun writing this.

Love,

June ❤️

[21.05.2019]


End file.
